The Meadow Lake SheDevils run drills during a recent practice ahead of their trip to the Kamloops 7s tournament on Sept. 20-21. (submitted/Rufas Crawford)

By Kenneth Cheung

LOCAL TALENT

Meadow Lake SheDevils to tackle Western Canada’s top youth ruby sevens tournament

Sep 16, 2025 | 4:21 PM

For a decade, the Meadow Lake SheDevils have been proving rugby isn’t just a boys’ game.

This month, they’ll take that spirit on the road to Kamloops, B.C., competing Sept. 20–21 in the largest youth rugby sevens tournament in Western Canada — Kamloops 7s.

Coach Rufas Crawford said that was the vision from the start — to normalize rugby for girls and create a program they could own.

“Girls can play rugby,” he said. “We’ve gotten the biggest girls rugby program in Saskatchewan.”

“It’s surprising how many very physical girls there are out there… they love the contact, they love the physical part, they love the challenge.”

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The SheDevils’ season typically begins indoors before braving the spring chill.

“Usually we’re playing by the first weekend in May, rain or snow,” Crawford said.

After wrapping in June, the squad reunited only for two marathon Sundays — three practice sessions a day — to sharpen their edge for Kamloops.

The Kamloops 7s, organized by BC Rugby, is specifically designed for girls’ and boys’ teams in the U14 to U18 categories.

It gives every team three games on day one before reorganizing them by skill level. That means no one goes home early and each team finds its match.

“You may be playing against way better teams or way worse teams than you,” Crawford explained. “And then after the first day, they reevaluate everybody and sort of match them up to their same skill level.”

Some of the SheDevis’ players. (submitted/Rufas Crawford)

This year’s SheDevils’ roster has no rookies, but plenty of variety.

“All the people we’re taking, they’ve got two or three years at least experience under their belts,” Crawford said.

Alongside Meadow Lake, players are joining from Saskatoon, Lloydminster and Lashburn. With more size and strength than a typical sevens side, the team will rely on a mix of power and pace.

“We have a lot of big, strong, slow people. So, I have to change my strategy quite a bit to accommodate that.”

Inclusivity underpins that philosophy.

“We’ll never cut anybody. So if you show up to practice, you get to play,” Crawford said.

“We never turn anybody away.”

That approach has helped the program grow — from a team that no one knew to a program backed by sponsorships and capable of hosting national visitors.

“Every time the bus is in the parade, I see people that look up and are shocked that we have a rugby team. ‘What? There’s a rugby team in town? We’ve been in town for 10 years,’” he said.

The SheDevils have become one of Saskatchewan’s top contenders and a team that keeps its doors open to anyone interested.

Crawford said the vision is to grow beyond the girls’ side. He hopes to recruit enough players to field a boys’ team — the El Diablos — and eventually send both squads to Kamloops.

“If you’re curious about rugby, come on out. We’re a pretty welcoming group,” Crawford said.

“If you want to play, you can play, and if you’re playing three other sports, that’s fine. Show up and we’ll find a spot for you on the team.”

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com